The Start of our Spring Cleanup

Today, April 2, 2014, turned out to be a lovely sunny day.  It is a little cool, but we still got a lot done.  The wood ducks are back in many numbers, so we got the wood duck houses cleaned out and repositioned.  We have three boxes now, so I hope to see the wood duck babies again this year.

The next big job we accomplished was burning off the flower garden.  It doesn't hurt the perennials and lets the new emerging plants come up without any competition.

The first thing is to knock down last years dried plants with the weed wacker.

Dad is serving as the fire inspector to make sure we do it right.

There are a lot of plants coming up even though the temperatures have been on the cold side.  I hope nature knows what it's doing.  The irises, poppies, mums and many others are doing fine so far.

We did have some plant damage from the bitter cold temperatures we had this past winter.   Some will recover and others are lost.  This is just the beginning of our spring cleanup, but it was a really good start.

This is one of our holly bushes.  The top is dead and needs to be cut down.

Sunday Brunch Eggs and Cinnamon Rolls

The previous weekend was very busy.  We had the play on Friday and Saturday that our grandson Dylan was in.  Dylan plays Oliver Twist  Then on Sunday we celebrated his brother Ewan's birthday.  Ewan's Birthday Party  My daughter had a brunch for the family on Sunday morning.  I wanted to bring something but I ran out of time.  I had to come up with something quick and easy to make.  On Sunday morning I got up and made these two recipes.  I had made the egg dish before, but not the cinnamon roll casserole.  I had them both in the oven at the same time and in 1 1/2 hours we were out the door.

Sunday Brunch Egg Dish

1/2 pound bacon cooked until crisp
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1 large package O'Brien frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Cook the bacon until crisp.  Crumble and set aside.

Beat eggs and milk.  Stir in the hash browns, cheese, salt, pepper, and bacon.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 dish and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until the eggs are set.  Cut into squares.

 Cinnamon Roll Casserole

2 cans of refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
4 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 t. ground cinnamon
2 t. vanilla  (by the way, my homemade vanilla turned out awesome) Make Your Own Vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup maple syrup (optional)

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Separate both cans of dough.  You should have 16 rolls.  Place them side by side in the pan.
In a bowl beat the eggs, cream, cinnamon and vanilla until well blended.
Pour liquid over the rolls.  Sprinkle with pecans.  If you like, you can drizzle some maple syrup over the dough as well.  I didn't have any so I left it out.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until brown.  Let cool for 15 minutes and drizzle the icing over the top.

Ewan Turns Four Years Old

Happy 4th Birthday Ewan

 

I can't believe it's four years ago today, March 31, that Ewan came into this world.  All of us, including the doctor, thought he was going to be a girl.  My daughter was going to name her Piper.  She received a lot of pink clothes because we hadn't had a baby girl in the family for a while.  After the birth, my son-in-law came out to the waiting room and said that he had good news and bad news.  We looked at him with horror fearing some really bad news.  He said the good news was that the baby was healthy, the bad news was that HE didn't have a name.  Needless to say, even though it was a shock, it was wonderful news.  It took a little while, but they came up with the name Ewan that was a bit unusual and went very well with big brother's name which is Dylan.

Baby Ewan Theodore

Yesterday we had a little family birthday party.  Ewan didn't really want to eat because he had presents to open.  When we arrived, he was in his fireman suit.  For a long time that is all he would wear, but now he changes off with super hero costumes.  All our grandsons have been through the super hero phase.  It so happens that one of his gifts was a Flash costume.

Could this be a Flash costume?

It was a great day with the family.  Aunt Sarah had to work but she was able to come later.

Ewan blowing out the candles.

Ripping open presents.

Thanking his big brother with a big smooch.

 It's time to play with some new toys.

And now they have a little girl dog that they named Piper.

Oliver Twist

You know how you aren't supposed to live through your children's and grandchildren's accomplishments.  They are individuals with their own abilities and achievements, just as we are different from our parents.  I couldn't help myself this weekend.  All my life I envied people who could get up in front of an audience and speak or belt out a song.  This past weekend I was able to watch my second oldest grandchild Dylan, who is twelve years old, do just that.  Dylan played Oliver Twist in his Middle School play.  He did a wonderful job and we were so proud.  I am not an overly emotional person, but when I saw him up there singing and dancing and speaking all those complicated lines,  I had all I could do not to cry.  Dylan was born happy.  He smiled the moment he was born.  Since we can remember he has been singing so it wasn't a surprise that he tried out for the play.  His voice is amazing, and he can hear and feel the music like my mom could.  I wish I could post a video but because of copyright laws I am unable to.  This was a big production for a middle school.  They practiced two hours a day for three months.  All the kids said their lines with British accents and spoke like they lived in 1850's London.  I can't say enough about all the effort put forth by the many people who were involved with this play.    It is something I will always remember.

Left to Right:  The Artful Dodger, Dylan as Oliver, Nancy, Fagin and Bill Sykes

Dylan taking his final bow.

Great Job Dylan.  You were fantastic and we love you so much.

My River Otter Update Video

If the video doesn't work, here is a link.

http://youtu.be/bRtpKFXWAOs

Anyone who has read my blog in the past few weeks knows that we have River Otters performing in our marsh.  They may be taking up residence in an old beaver lodge less than 50 feet from our dining room window or at least they are resting here before they move on.  They are so entertaining.  This morning when I got up they were racing up and down the stream connecting to our pond.  It was amazing to see how fast they are.  When they finally decided to take a break and gather more dried grass, I took a video.  I don't know if they are using the grass to line the nest area or what they are doing with it.  All I know is I hope they stay for a while.

Elementary School Spring Concert

Yesterday afternoon we went to our 2nd youngest grandchild's Spring singing concert.  They divide the concerts by grades so a person doesn't have to sit forever listening to every age group plus there is enough room for all the spectators.  In this case it was the kindergarten and the third graders singing.  Our grandson Jack is in kindergarten.  I find it interesting how things have changed.  When I started school a long long time ago and when my children started school, you had to turn five by December 1st to start school.  Now the cut off is September 1st, but a lot of parents are holding their children back a year.  Jack was born at the end of June, and he is one of the youngest kids in his class.   Jack is the boy in the blue shirt.

The concert was called "A Season of Song"

The kids sang songs from all the seasons.  Little five and six year olds are so cute and love to sing.  I am so grateful that the schools in this area still have music programs.  Some schools in the nation have eliminated the arts and that is a shame.

 

Middle grandchild Sam was part of the school audience.  He spotted us in the crowd.

Pressure Cooker Porcupine Meatballs

It's Tuesday already and time for a new recipe.  I have written many times about my love for my digital pressure cooker.  It is not your mother or grandmothers pressure cooker.  It is perfectly safe and will not explode.  It's electric so you don't have to adjust the heat on a stove.  Mine also browns, slow cooks, pressure cooks and keeps things warm. 

Although my recipe for today can be made in a pan on the stove, this recipe takes eight minutes to cook in the pressure cooker.  If you don't want to use a pressure cooker, just brown the meatballs in a fry pan, pour on the spaghetti sauce, beef broth and a little sugar and simmer until done.  It won't take very long that way either.

Porcupine Meatballs

Pressure Cooker Porcupine Meatballs

1/2 cup long grain white rice (uncooked)
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1/4 cup beef broth
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t. garlic powder
1 1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
2 T. oil
1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
2/3 cup beef broth
3 t. sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine uncooked rice, onion, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Add the ground beef or turkey to the bowl and mix well.

Form the meat mixture into balls.  I got about twenty meatballs with one pound of meat.

With the cooker lid off, heat the oil and brown the meatballs in the cooker.  When brown, pour spaghetti sauce, more beef broth and sugar over the meatballs.  Lock on the lid and pressure for eight minutes on high.

Let the pressure release naturally and keep on warm until ready to serve.

Electric Digital Pressure Cooker

http://www.thecabincountess.com/2013/01/my-favorite-small-appliance.html

Making An Adult Sized Bib

Many years ago when my daughters were small, I made t-shirts for them.  My friend Wendy taught me how to sew on the neck ribbing.  During that time my mom asked me to make a bib for dad.  He came home everyday for lunch, and she didn't want him to spill on his dress clothes.  At that time, I took a towel, cut a hole in it and used the tshirt neck rib technique.  He used it for years.

Now thirty five or more years later, dad asked me to make him another bib.  He usually tucks a dish towel in his shirt when he eats to protect his clothes.  He figures it saves me when I do the laundry.  I dug out an old hand towel and a piece of ribbing I had stashed.  I didn't realize how bad the wrinkles look in the pictures, but here they are anyway.

Here is Dad sporting his new bib. 

Bib Pattern

Supplies:

1 hand towel

Ribbing material

Thread

Measuring tape

Something to trace around to get the size circle you want

Lay a hand towel flat and draw a circle on the fabric.

Cut a circle about 3 or 4 inches down from the top and centered.

I used a cereal bowl which was about 6.25 inches in diameter.  That fits over an adult head just fine.  I traced around the bowl and cut out the circle.  Then you figure the circumference of the circle you made by doing simple math.  In this case the diameter or the distance across the circle is 6.25 inches.  The formula for circumference (distance around the circle) is 3.14 (pi) x diameter.  So 3.14 times 6.25 equals 19.63.  I use this number to figure the length of the ribbing.  The length of the ribbing needs to be 15% less than the circumference.  This would make the ribbing about 16.69 inches.  I made it 16.75 inches to allow for a seam.  It sounds more complicated than it actually is.  This bib can be made for kids using the same technique.  I have used the smaller tea towel with a smaller hole for a child's bib.

I cut a piece of ribbing 2.5 inches by 16.75 inches.  I then sewed a seam on the short side to form a circle. 

Fold the width in half and divide into quarters.  Put in pins to mark it.

Put a pin at the ends and in the middle.

Then divide the hole in the towel into quarters and mark that with pins.  Next put right sides together and line up the pins and pin the ribbing band to the opening.  Begin sewing around, stretching the rib to fit.  Turn to the right side and you're finished.

The finished neckband

After I made this sewn version, I decided to knit a ribbed band around the neck hole.  I just cut the hole the same as above.  Then I crocheted around the raw edge.  In my case it was 88 stitches.  When I got all around, I changed to a size 6 circular knitting needle, picked up a stitch in each crochet stitch and knit a ribbing for an inch or so.  Then I bound off.  For a quick bib, it worked out great.

Believe It or Not Spring Is Here

Tomorrow morning, March 20, 2014 at 11:57 am, it will officially be Spring.  The temperatures are still below normal, but there are little teases to make me a believer.  Two years ago it was 80 degrees.  That is what living in Wisconsin is all about.  You never know what the next day will bring as far as the weather is concerned.

The Sandhill Cranes are back.  We heard them before we saw them.  I heard a group of Sandhills were seen in Rock County Wisconsin traveling with two Whooping Cranes.  I'm hoping I will see some Whooping Cranes this spring.  Hopefully the eight that were raised nearby will return to the area.

I wrote about the River Otter and the Eagle a few days ago.  http://www.thecabincountess.com/2014/03/the-river-otter-and-eagle.html  I was worried that the Eagle had eaten an otter for dinner, but I was wrong.  The otters are hale and hearty.  We had at least four of them out on our pond last weekend.  The otters always look so happy.  They play and splash around.  They can hold their breath for eight minutes so they dive down in one area and come up a long ways away.   They can even choose when to have their young.  They have something called delayed implantation.  After they mate, the female can have fertilized eggs in her uterus for up to nine months but once it is implanted, the baby otters are ready to be born in 60 days.  I'm not sure what factor triggers the implantation.  Maybe it's even the weather.

The mail lady stopped today with a package.  She asked me if we had seen any new animals out on the marsh.  I told her about the otters.  She said "did you shoot them"?  I was shocked and said that the only shooting I do is with a camera.  She said "but they eat all the fish".  I told her they could have all they want.  I wonder how many others think the way she does.  I hope not many but I'm afraid in this area she is the majority.

The red winged blackbirds have also returned. 

Hopefully in a couple weeks I will be able to report the return of many more of our favorite wildlife.

Turkey Vulture.

Colcannon Irish Potatoes

Top of the morning to you.

Yesterday was St. Paddy's Day.  I hope you didn't drink too much green beer or this sunrise will be blinding.  A lot of Americans, whether they are of Irish heritage or not, celebrate St. Patrick's Day by eating Corned Beef and Cabbage.  If you don't make it yourself, it is readily available at many restaurants.

We had our corned beef and cabbage celebration a week early, so yesterday we had a more traditional Irish meal.  Corned beef and cabbage is something Americans made up but it's not really Irish.  The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in New York City and not Ireland.  The Irish usually used pork because it was less expensive.  Little did I know that the Boiled Dinner my mom made with ham, potatoes, carrots and cabbage was probably more traditionally Irish than that made with corned beef.

This Tuesday's recipe is for a more traditional Irish meal with ham.  It is very inexpensive to make.  If you have some leftover corned beef, it could be mixed with these potatoes.   It's also good with crumbled bacon. 

Irish potatoes with ham

Colcannon Potatoes
 
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 pound green cabbage, shredded
6 tablespoons butter, divided plus more to top the potatoes
Salt and pepper
8 to 10 scallions or onions, chopped
1/3 to 1 cup warm heavy cream or half and half or milk

Put the potato chunks in a large pan.  Cover with water and add 1 teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large frying pan and sauté the cabbage, keeping it on the move until it’s tender and slightly golden at the edges.  Season it with salt.
Then add the scallions and continue to cook for another minute or so.
Next drain the potatoes and return them to the pan. Add the remaining butter and 1/3 cup cream.  Heat the cream or milk a little.  It keeps the potatoes from cooling off too much and makes them less starchy.  Mash the potatoes until light fluffy, adding more cream or milk if needed. Season them with salt and pepper.
Then stir in the cabbage.

The Irish like butter so make a well in the potatoes and put some extra butter in the well.

I had some ham leftover in the freezer from last Christmas.  We had that with the Irish potatoes instead of bacon or corned beef.

If you like the taste of cabbage and potatoes, here is another blog I wrote using similar ingredients.

http://www.thecabincountess.com/2013/04/cabbage-ring-bologna-and-potatoes.html